This is a guest post from a reader who wishes to remain anonymous. Just to remind you we welcome all contributions, and look forward to a respectful discussion!
Sometimes your nanny will drive you crazy. She dumps her bag just inside the door. She teaches your children songs that get on your nerves (get on your nerves, get on your nerves). The garden has been turned into a mud-pit. She never writes enough in the nanny diary. She always uses the last of the butter. There’s only ever one baby wipe left in packet. But you wouldn’t swap, or would you?
You focus on the good and let the niggles slide, and that’s fine as long as they’re just niggles. You can stop here if using up the butter is your biggest bugbear. This article is not for you.
Truthfully you’re afraid to rock the boat. Except sometimes those quirks aren’t so much quirks as taking major decisions on your behalf, like insisting that your baby takes all naps in the cot when you’re fine with a kip in the pram, or starting the potty training process because she thinks it’s time. Or maybe it’s suddenly announcing that she has to start 10 minutes later so she doesn’t have to get the early train. Perhaps she insists on having a credit card on your account so she doesn’t have to risk you forgetting to top up the kitty. I’m fully on board with the trust her with your child, trust her with your money philosophy by the way, I just find it a fairly huge quirk to insist on a credit card.
So you have a choice. You can put up with it and suffer, and many people do, or start the disciplinary process, let her go and get a new nanny. It’s easy to see why that’s not an attractive option. Pulling out the disciplinary process on someone who works, and potentially lives, in your home is not a comfortable situation to be in. You have found fault with their work, and in a personal job it’s not hard to take it, well, personally. Instead you choose mild, lasting discomfort instead of intense pain because often the children are happy and that’s what counts.
Plus there’s no guarantee that the next one will be any better.